Basuri CK, Garlapati D, Chandrasekaran M, Karri R, Ramanamurthy MV. Influence of environmental heterogeneity on the distribution of micro-zooplankton community along the tropical coastal waters.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023;
195:115546. [PMID:
37774647 DOI:
10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115546]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
This study mainly focused on the water quality variability and distribution of micro-zooplankton (MZP) along the coastal waters of Tamil Nadu. Dendrogram analysis using water quality data categorized the study area into three regions: North (Chennai), Central (Puducherry), and South (Karaikal). The MZP consists of 40 ciliates and 8 dinoflagellates, with spirotrichea (52.4 %) significantly dominant, followed by dinophyceae (21.1 %), phyllopharyngea (14.7 %), and others (11.8 %). Paracyrtophoron tropicum, a new report in the coastal waters of India, was identified by comparing its molecular phylogeny (18S rRNA accession no: MT500569) to previously reported species. Statistical analysis revealed a positive correlation between P. tropicum abundance and water temperature, PO4, SiO4, TP, Chl-a, and Trichodesmium erythraeum, suggesting that they might not directly control the growth of P. tropicum but indirectly influence it via food availability, i.e., T. erythraeum. However, to understand these species interactions and ecological pathways, further long-term monitoring studies are required.
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